Men who specifically don't identify as gay are sought after 11 percent of the time in Craigslist ads looking for gay sex, according to a new study from the University of Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health. Surprised?

To examine the subgroup of men seeking non-gay-identified (NGI) men in the online sexual marketplace, the researchers reviewed 1,200 Internet personal ads posted on Craigslist and selected 282 for analysis and performed comparisons of two categories of personal ads: those seeking encounters with NGI men, including straight, bisexual, married, curious, and men on the "down low" (those who usually identify as heterosexual but have sex with men); and a contrasting set of ads that did not specifically seek NGI men. Craigslist was chosen because it is publicly accessible, highly trafficked, free-of-charge, and widely used by gay, NGI men seeking men, or men who have sex with men and women to find sexual partners.

Among the ads studied, 11% were placed by men seeking NGI partners. Although men who posted NGI-seeking ads were more likely to self-identify as bisexual, married, and/or discreet and to seek out an anonymous encounter relative to the ads of comparison men, only 24% of online advertisements seeking NGI men were posted by men who were themselves non-gay-identified. This suggests that many of the posts are placed by gay men seeking NGI men, perceived by some gay men to be more masculine, dominant, or "straight-acting."

Moreover, the study found that NGI ads mentioned condoms less than non-NGI ads.

The analysis revealed that men seeking NGI partners were significantly less likely to mention that they wanted to have safer sex/use condoms (15% vs. 33%) and were more likely (66% vs. 42%) to omit mention of condoms or safer sex in their advertisements. "This suggests that these men are more likely to be looking for and willing to engage in sex without a condom which may place them at greater risk for HIV/STI transmission than men who are not seeking non-gay-identified male partners," said Dr. Schrimshaw, who is assistant professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health.

Although few advertisements posted by men seeking NGI partners specifically sought anal sex without a condom (1% vs. 2%), they were significantly more likely to seek oral sex without a condom (14% vs. 5%) than comparison advertisements. "Future research on NGI-seeking men could lead to better understanding of their risk behaviors which, in turn, could be helpful for developing and targeting HIV/STD prevention and intervention efforts," noted Dr. Schrimshaw.

"Regardless of any study limitations, the research has allowed us to document the existence of a subgroup of men who actively seek out sexual encounters with men who do not identify as gay," said Dr. Schrimshaw. "Moreover, the findings suggest that men with a preference for NGI men attempt to alert such prospective partners through a combination of self-described characteristics, desired partner attributes, and behavioral preferences, all of which serve to attract more discreet and masculine men. Given the attention to the sexual behaviors of NGI MSM, the results of this study support the need for additional research to investigate the behavioral outcomes of NGI-seeking men's personal ads."

I use craigslist to look for an occasional sex partner. While I would rather find someone who loves me as I would like to love them, I find it hard to locate such a person. The gay community in general is very shallow in nature. The community is filled with alcoholics, drug abusers and those with STD's. One only has to look at the posts on craigslist to see this (420 friendly, pnp, poppers.) As a self identifying homosexual, I am saddened with the lack of options and choices for potential partners. I will turn 40 this year and have never dated. Mostly because I have spent the last 20 years in the Military where such a life style was not only frowned upon but illegal. That and the lack of interpersonal skills associated with being a homosexual in a primarily outward portrayed heterosexual dominated society. When I look for a partner, I want a Man, not a panty boy, TG or someone who wants to look and sound like a flaming fruit! If my posts for such on craigslist include men on the DL, Straight guys wanting a better blow job or just curious are bad, too bad. Society as a whole needs to change.

So--gay life ONLY involves cheating disease, complaining and hurting other? Can we say internalized homophobia? If you really believe all that then don't be gay. Be str8. It makes about as much sense as everything else you said.

Denial's a bitch man. Sticking your head in the sand won't change that we are the leaders in STDs, we are only about sex and nothing else it seems, cheating is common place and you can't deny that. I'm sorry dude, I'm a realist not someone living on fantasy island. If you can find unbiased and factual non-gay/liberal slanted research and stats to back up what you just said, please provide. I'm able to. How is it internalized homophobia if 1.) I'm out and 2.) I don't like the idea of cheating STDs or desperately searching for a boyfriend for all the wrong reasons then pursuing it thinking it's love after screwing on the first date?

It's probably not a good idea to use 'we' that sweepingly. I've never had an STD, was out for more than 10 years before I was in love, and thus didn't have sex before then. 'We're' not all in the same category. I' would also never consider sex to be 'screwing', though perhaps I'm just unrealistic. To me, FOR me (which means I don't apply it to others), sex is only about love.

And you are one out of how many...? Telling your own personal life story doesn't cancel out what's factual. I'm aware we aren't all in the same category, as I'm actually a decent human being who does have a sense of right and wrong. But we are still apart of the gay "community", even if we aren't behaving like the mainstream of it, and until we as a group get our shit together, I'm not mincing my words.

It's not. Instinct can't really publish articles because gay life really only consists of cheating disease and complaining, and of course hurting each other any other way possible. They're grabbing at every thread they can. Sometimes I'm ashamed to be gay, my life is more than just desperately searching for a "boyfriend" or being a slut.